MONDAY, APRIL 3
As the American experiment continues its shuddering slide into abject failure, there was a dream that, perhaps, one thing could bring us together: objective truth. Turns out that dream is bullshit. “Hopes that science and its unending quest for the truth can mend the cracks in a divided society have taken a hit as new research has found liberals and conservatives share little common ground on the subject—apart from a fascination with dinosaurs,” reports the Guardian. In analyzing science books purchased by liberals and conservatives, researchers discovered that, “even within subjects, liberals and conservatives read very different books,” the Guardian notes. One of the few things readers agreed on? That dinosaurs are cool. “It turns out that liberals and conservatives can agree about dinosaurs, but not much else,” said Cornell University’s Michael Macy. We suppose that makes sense, since—like the dinosaurs—we’ll all be extinct soon. (Hey, do any scientists read this column? Please tell us what the chances are that a rogue asteroid will make our deaths quick and painless. Thx!)